Biographies

Chief Probation Officer Adolfo Gonzales

Adolfo Gonzales has spent a distinguished 38-year career in San
Diego Law Enforcement. On March 4, 2016 he became the San Diego
County Chief Probation Officer. On March 22, 2013, Adolfo
Gonzales was appointed as the Chief Investigator for the San Diego
District Attorney’s Office. Chief Gonzales led the DA’s Bureau of
Investigation, the law enforcement component of the District
Attorney’s Office. The Bureau’s 120 District Attorney Investigators,
47 Public Assistance Fraud Investigators, 13 process servers, 11
paralegals, and nine technicians are assigned to eight divisions
throughout the County of San Diego.

Chief Gonzales’s law enforcement
career began in 1978, when he was selected to participate as a San
Diego Police Department (SDPD) Reserve Officer and was later hired
as a full-time Police Officer by SDPD in 1979. Adolfo advanced
through the organization reaching the rank of investigative
lieutenant in 1992.

In 1996, Adolfo was selected by
the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to serve as an FBI
Executive Fellow, in Washington D.C. after a nation-wide research.
Adolfo traveled across the country conducting audits, inspections,
and evaluations of various violent crimes task forces. In addition,
he worked with the Executive Office for Weed and Seed.

In 1997, Adolfo was promoted to
police captain and served in that capacity until 2001, when he was
promoted to an Assistant Chief of Police with the San Diego Police Department.

On July 27, 2004, Adolfo
Gonzales became the Chief of Police for the City of National City.
He oversaw 92 sworn officers, 34 professional staff, and 26
volunteers, with an operating budget of over $21 million dollars.

Adolfo has been recognized with
many honors and awards over the years including “Excellence in
Public Service” from the UCSD, “Chief of Police of the Year” by the
Neighborhood Market Association, a “Leadership Award” from the
National Latino Police Chief’s Association and many other
accolades. He is involved in numerous community and professional
organizations; he speaks fluent Spanish.

Chief Gonzales earned his Doctorate degree in Leadership Science
from the University of San Diego (USD) in 1996. In 1989, he earned
his Master’s in Education from San Diego State University, and in 1986
Adolfo earned his B.A. from National University in Public
Administration. Chief Gonzales is an adjunct faculty member of three
local community colleges and Universities in San Diego.